


Payback

by lunick



Category: Ookiku Furikabutte | Big Windup!
Genre: Love Triangles, M/M, Unrequited, a lot of implied stuff heha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-16
Packaged: 2017-12-20 06:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/883887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunick/pseuds/lunick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruna is going to make Abe pay. He's going to take his adorable, idiotic pitcher away from him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For an artfic trade with my friend Jasmine, who gave me the prompt "how about some haruna just shamelessly hitting on miha 2 spite abe but then, he develops a thing 4 him???" I've never written this pairing before, and the POV is all over the place, but I hope it is at least satisfactory!

Haruna was going to make Abe pay.

He was so going to make little Takaya pay for being a cheeky, indignant asshole and making everything some kind of grudge match between them. For calling him "the worst." And he was going to start by targeting that cute little pitcher of his--

"Mihashi, right?"

"Ah... H-haruna... san..."

Haruna smiles, knowing he's right. He's already won the battle between pitchers, he is obviously the superior one, and this little freshman is too starstruck to realize he's being talked down to.

"Let's go, Mihashi."

Abe's same old gruff voice rings in the second year's ears, and he resists the urge to flash a smile to him, to show off. No, he just ignores his little kouhai for the moment, resting a hand on the wall to the side of Mihashi's head, leaning in a bit too close to just be friendly. He can practically see Takaya fuming behind him, angry at him just like he always is and always has been -- he'll show Abe what it means to be the worst.

"Mihashi -- what'd it take for me to get your number?"

The brunette's eyes widen and he starts fidgeting, and he can hear Abe stomping his way over and then grabbing Mihashi's arm.

"We're leaving, Mihashi."

"Abe-kun... !"

He's protesting, maybe he actually wants to give Haruna his number, which the older boy just knows will make Takaya's blood boil. He really can't subordinate to anyone, even his precious middle school pitcher who made him the catcher he is today, and he's not even grateful for all Haruna has done for him! The Musashino pitcher straightens up, smiling down at his former catcher.

"Watch it, Takaya-kun."

Abe glares up at him. How dare he use -kun with his name, how dare he make fun of Mihashi in that way--

"What would happen if you hurt Mihashi's arm?"

He swallows and jerks his hand back, away from his pitcher's. He hates being talked down to, and he hates Haruna -- he really is the worst. He moves his eyes away and then storms off, his fingers tight around the strap of his bag. Mihashi and Haruna watch him in silence as he leaves, parting the sea of Nishiura team members and parents with his rage.

"D...does Abe-kun... hate me?"

"Nah."

He hates me.

"So... what about that number, Mihashi?"


	2. Chapter 2

Last time Nishiura came to watch a Musashino game, Haruna had hit the fence and called out to Abe. Takaya, Takaya. Look at me. Come over here, you big jerk.

Watch me play, Takaya.

Watch what I can do now.

But that was months ago, and Abe hasn't given up on calling Haruna the worst, even after he flirted with his pitcher (and ended up scoring his number, much to the irritation of Abe) in a move that the catcher must realize is just to spite him.

"Ren!"

Mihashi jerks upwards, his whole body stiffening as he hears someone, no, as he hears Haruna-san calling his name. He looks down the steps and Haruna is waving at him -- ah, Mihashi knew it, Haruna really is a good person! How could Abe ever call him the worst?

"Ren, come here!"

But that doesn't mean that the first year isn't scared out of his mind. This is the pitcher he idolizes, the one with fast balls and a big swing and a large, powerful throwing arm, so he starts to sweat a little, sliding behind Tajima, who is staring at Haruna with his hand over his eyebrows to shade his view. "Woah -- Mihashi! Is he talkin' to you?"

The pitcher rubs the tips of his index fingers together, shaking like a leaf. "Ah, um... I... I guess... so..." He mumbles, biting his bottom lip.

"Man... !" Tajima leans back, his spine bumping up against the cement step behind him. "I wish someone like Haruna would talk to me!" He looks back over to his teammate. "You should go talk to him! C'mon--"

You are someone like Haruna, Mihashi thinks but doesn't have the nerve to say, or maybe he just doesn't have the time, because Tajima is grabbing him by the arm and pulling him down the steps, practically pushing him into the fence in front of Haruna.

The second year's eyes flicker up to where he can see Takaya sitting. He's watching, chin resting in his hands and gaze more narrowed than usual. Watch me, Takaya -- this is payback.

"H...hello... Haruna... s-san..."

Haruna shifts his gaze to Mihashi again, making an effort to look friendly.

"You can drop the -san, Mihashi," he says, bringing a hand up and curling his fingers through the mesh of the fence. "In fact, you can call me Motoki, if you want."

The Nishiura pitcher bristles. Motoki? His first name? Did he ever let Abe call him that -- Haruna does call Abe by his given name but Mihashi had figured that was because he was older. He doesn't really know what to say, so he just gives a trembling nod.

"Wait for me after the game, okay?"

"O...kay..." Mihashi hesitates. "Motoki-san."

The older boy gives him a grin. "Now you've got it," he says as he gives a wave, casting one last glance up to Abe, and finally hurrying back to the dugout where Akimaru was motioning him over. The brunette stares at he goes and then turns around, forgetting that Tajima was even there during the exchange, and clutching at the fabric of the chest of his shirt. Haruna wants him to wait after the game. Haruna wanted to talk to him. Haruna is so amazing, and he wants to talk to him.

"Woah... cool... !"

Tajima's voice breaks Mihashi from his fog, and he looks up excitedly to Abe. He's visibly infuriated, and it's probably all he can do not to jump over the fence and belt Haruna one right now, to just try to shatter that stupid left shoulder of his.

Mihashi gulps, and decides it would be best to stick by Tajima and Hanai during this game.

\---

"Well... I don't know..." Hanai rubs the back of his head. "We need to get back to the school--"

"Aw c'mon Hanai, don't be such a spoilsport!" Tajima cuts him off, speaking for Mihashi since he really can't do it himself. "He wants to talk to his idol!"

And of course, Hanai really can't say no to Tajima, so he lets out a sigh. "Fine. Be quick, though."

"Alright!" The clean up hitter begins babbling to the captain, dragging him by the arm towards the rest of the team and giving Mihashi a thumbs up while simultaneously putting him in great danger by leaving an furious Abe with him. Alone. But it should be fine, because Haruna is already approaching, and if anyone can control Abe, it's him.

"Hey, Ren," he says, smiling. He looks very purposefully at Abe. "Hey, Takaya."

"Motoki-san... g...good job... today..."

"Thanks. It was nothing--"

"Okay, you've said your piece," Abe cuts in, grabbing Mihashi's arm. "Let's go, Mihashi. Hanai said to be quick, remember?"

"Hold on just a second, Takaya. I just wanted to give Mihashi a little parting gift."

Abe eyes Haruna suspiciously. What could he possibly want to give him? He loosens his grip on Mihashi's arm and steps back, fingers curled into tight fists. If that jerk tries anything, if he talks down to him for even a second, he's going to get punched in the face. Musashino's pitcher smirks and takes a step towards Mihashi, and then leans down and crashes their lips together. He can feel the younger boy trying to gulp for air, but their lips are pressed together too tightly for that, so he can feel Mihashi's desperate, hot breaths coming from his nose.

Are you watching, Takaya?

I've got your pitcher wrapped around my little finger.


	3. Chapter 3

Haruna doesn't know how Takaya has been able to put up with this pitcher for this long.

The babbling, the stuttering, the cowering -- knowing his former catcher, he must go insane trying to understand him. Haruna is considerably most understanding (according to himself, at least), and he still finds it grating to be with Mihashi for more than twenty minutes.

Though, as time goes on and he hangs out with him more and more, he finds himself less wanting to get back at Takaya, and more wanting to just be around the other pitcher. His actions are kind of cute sometimes, endearing, even, the way he rubs the tips of his fingers together when he's nervous, and how sometimes when he blinks it's like he's seeing stars. Even the stuttering is adorable, while it lasts, because it does somehow dissipate after awhile.

Does this mean that Mihashi trusts him?

The idea baffles Haruna to his core -- this kid is too trusting, too earnest, and way too naive. He's surprised his former teammate hasn't ruined him yet, hasn't made him from the cute kid he is to the cynical bastard Abe is.

It really can't be good for Mihashi to be hanging around someone as dark and mean as that, so Haruna invites him over, in a gesture that he swears to himself means nothing, because what does this kid provide him other than a cute smile and an endearing amount of idolization? Other than that, and the sleepy kisses, and the unfamiliar smell, and all the new experiences that Haruna has never even dreamed of--

But no, this is all just to get back at Abe, still. It's all part of his plan.

"If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you're falling for the kid," Akimaru had said, when he was notified of their plans together.

Maybe if Haruna was being honest with himself (which he definitely was not going to be), he would say the exact same thing.

But since he's not being honest with himself or anyone else, on this matter, he's sticking with the idea that this is all planned, and that he doesn't feel the least bit excited about seeing Mihashi, and that he really isn't craving the touch of his hands against his.

"You've got a lot of calluses, huh, Ren?"

The first year pulls his hand away, examining it, a blush crawling up his cheeks. Is he really embarrassed as something as simple as his blisters?

"Ah... d-do you... not like them, Motoki... s..san?"

Haruna grabs his hand back, looking at it closely -- close enough that Mihashi can feel his soft breaths entering and exiting his nose, and he starts to fidget, rubbing his socked feet together nervously.

"They're a good thing, Ren." He smiles a relaxed kind of smile, and then drops the hand from his face and curls their fingers together. "It means you work hard."

"D...do you... have calluses?"

"'Course I do."

He leans back a little into his pillow, feeling the weight of Mihashi's head on his left shoulder. They both work hard -- but Haruna knows that Mihashi works ten times harder than him, at least. He knows he's lazy and he's selfish, and he really doesn't deserve to have this innocent boy rest his head against him.

"I... wa...want... to be like Motoki-san."

This startles the Musashino pitcher, and he really can't believe what he's hearing, and it's all he can do not to jerk away and bolt out the door.

"What was that?"

Mihashi sits up, kneeling in front of him a bit too formally, his hands resting delicately on his thighs. He looks at him with those big eyes and it's like he's seeing stars again--

"I want to be! Like you!"

Haruna can only sit there, frozen, and hope that Mihashi really never becomes like him.


	4. Chapter 4

Haruna had been feeling acutely uncomfortable since his and Mihashi's last encounter. It wasn't bad (no, definitely not bad), but it left his mind feeling muddled and confused, and his chest felt a tightness that couldn't be relieved no matter how many times he sighed.

He was starting to think that maybe he should really talk to Mihashi about this all, when the first year seemed to beat him to the punch by showing up at his door one night.

"I don't think... w-we can... s...see each other... Haruna... san."

This is not what Haruna was expecting at all.

"Wh... what?"

"Abe-kun... said... that you were just... us...using me. To... get back at him."

Haruna's head is spinning. Of course Abe told him that, of course Abe saw through the beginnings of his affections, but now he... but now he really does like him. He really does like this cute pitcher who makes the funny faces and has zero self confidence. The sweet boy who idolizes him a bit more than he should, because Haruna's a bitter asshole and he knows it.

His mouth is completely dry, and he's practically gasping for air.

"No... ! No, Mihashi--"

He looks at him, and Mihashi is shuffling his feet against the dirt, tears in his eyes.

What the hell has he been doing all this time?

He's been playing with some poor kid's emotions, and now when he really feels for him, he's being snatched away.

Is this payback? Is this karma; is he being punished by God, or just Takaya?

"You have to believe me... maybe I was just trying to get back at him at first, but I do-- I do like you, Mihashi!"

He's putting his pride on the line, here.

"I like you a lot!"

But his immature words and brain aren't keeping up with what his heart wants him to say. He's just like a big puppy that doesn't know how to swim, stranded on a raft in the middle of a pool and he's floundering for his words -- what can he say that'll make him believe him, now?

"Abe...kun... s...said..."

"Forget what he said!"

Mihashi bristles, shocked by Haruna's sudden exclamation.

"Forget what I've said before... just listen to what I'm saying right now."

Listen to what I'm saying right now, as we stand on my doorstep at ten o' clock at night, listening to the cicadas and the fireflies buzz around. Listen to what I'm really trying to say -- even though I don't even know how to say it.

The second year grabs both of the other boy's hands, swallowing hard, studying his reddened face, and his teary eyes, and his trembling lip. His fingers curl up, and he can tell that Mihashi's hands are cold even in the warm, humid summer air. He huffs out a breath.

"I like you, Ren. Please-- believe me."

And for the first time, Haruna really believes it himself. He acknowledges the tightness in his chest and the knotting in his stomach, the warm feeling he gets spreading through his veins when he takes Mihashi's hand in his, and the fogginess in his head that he never wanted to admit was there when he talked to the other pitcher.

"H...haruna-san..."

"Motoki. Call me Motoki, remember?"

"I... I l...like you... too... Motoki...san."

With that, it feels like some kind of weight has lifted off of Haruna, and his entire body feels lighter. Maybe that's stupid, and a little cliche, but he figures there's a reason it's cliche -- because it always happens to people, when they're relieved, or when they're in love.

Maybe that's too big of a step, the idea of being in love.

Haruna lets his hands fall to his sides, and he lets out a kind of relieved sigh, and nods before leaning down and pressing his lips to Mihashi's forehead.

Maybe being in love wouldn't be so bad, if it meant spending more time with Nishiura's cute little pitcher.


End file.
